- an old friend
- a new topic of conversation
- a shop assistant to bewilder
- a splendid purchase
and - a Molly-cat waiting to greet me on my return
quite satisfying, really.
long loved
‘There are dragons in the vegetable garden.
… or there were. They’ve moved to the north pasture now.’
Meg, not replying — it did not do to answer Charles Wallace too quickly when he said something odd — returned to the refrigerator. ‘I suppose I’ll have lettuce and tomato as usual…’
Some books you read once, and some books you read all your life. The book you’ve just begun — for those of you lucky enough not to recognize it — is Madeline L’Engle’s A Wind in The Door. I have been reading it since I was 11, every few years, over and over again.
Madeline L’Engle is much loved in the States, but hardly known in Britain. She died last week, and her obituary in the New York Times reminded me that she was one of my earliest religious guides, and certainly my first Piskie guide. In A Wind in the Door, strange and unusual children work with an irascible angel to fight against all that would destroy life. Progo always was my favourite.
Here are a few random offerings — to remind you of old friends, or to tempt you to new adventures.
chapter 2
…Then Charles Wallace cried ‘my dragons!’
They turned around, and they saw, there by the great rock —
wings, it seemed like hundreds of wings, spreading, folding, stretching —
and eyes
how many eyes can a drive of dragons have?
and small jets of flame
Suddenly a voice called to them… ‘Do not be afraid.’
… Continue reading “long loved”
holiness
There’s an interesting article by Martin Smith on holiness and leadership over at Episcopal Cafe. It seems to me this should be required reading for all those involved in the selection of bishops in our church.
a little knowledge…
Here are some of the things people tried to teach me today:
- all wars are caused by religion
- young couples today want to get their children baptised, but can’t because the words of the service claim that their precious little ones are full of sin.
- new mothers can’t go out till their babies are churched.
- new mothers can’t go out till they themselves are churched.
- creeds and vows are mumbo-jumbo.
- vegetarians are unrealistic, hypocritical and self-righteous.
- it is wrong to allow children to be involved in a wedding even if the bride & groom want them there.
- Anglican ministers are not called priests.
- good Christians don’t go to church.
- the best people aren’t Christians.
What I actually learned:
- when left to a mixed crowd of atheists and occasional church attenders, a priest’s best friend is the Air Force paramedic who is equally misunderstood.
wonderful exchange 